an unsocial socialist-第39部分

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thick　carpet　under　foot。　Close　by；　and　seeming　much　out　of　place；
was　a　carpenter's　bench　with　the　usual　implements　and　a　number　of
boards　of　various　thicknesses。

〃This　is　a　sort　of　comfort　beyond　the　reach　of　any　but　a　rich
man；〃　said　Trefusis；　turning　and　surprising　his　visitors　in　the
act　of　exchanging　glances　of　astonishment　at　his　taste。　〃　I　keep
a　drawing…room　of　the　usual　kind　for　receiving　strangers　with
whom　it　is　necessary　to　be　conventional；　but　I　never　enter　it
except　on　such　occasions。　What　do　you　think　of　this　for　a　study？〃

〃On　my　soul；　Trefusis；　I　think　you　are　mad；〃　said　Sir　Charles。
〃The　place　looks　as　if　it　had　stood　a　siege。　How　did　you　manage
to　break　the　statues　and　chip　the　walls　so　outrageously？〃

Trefusis　took　a　newspaper　from　the　table　and　said；　〃Listen　to
this：

'In　spite　of　the　unfavorable　nature　of　the　weather；　the　sport　of
the　Emperor　and　his　guests　in　Styria　has　been　successful。　In
three　days　52　chamois　and　79　stags　and　deer　fell　to　19
single…barrelled　rifles；　the　Emperor　allowing　no　more　on　this
occasion。'

〃I　share　the　Emperor's　delight　in　shooting；　but　I　am　no　butcher；
and　do　not　need　the　royal　relish　of　blood　to　my　sport。　And　I　do
not　share　my　ancestors'　taste　in　statuary。　Hence〃　Here　Trefusis
opened　a　drawer；　took　out　a　pistol；　and　fired　at　the　Hebe　in　the
farthest　niche。

〃Well　done！〃　said　Erskine　coolly；　as　the　last　fragment　of　Hebe's
head　crumbled　at　the　touch　of　the　bullet。

〃Very　fruitlessly　done；〃　said　Trefusis。　〃I　am　a　good　shot；　but　of
what　use　is　it　to　me？　None。　I　once　met　a　gamekeeper　who　was　a
Methodist。　He　was　a　most　eloquent　speaker；　but　A　bad　shot。　If　he
could　have　swapped　talents　with　me　I　would　have　given　him　ten
thousand　pounds　to　boot　willingly；　although　he　would　have
profited　as　much　as　I　by　the　exchange　alone。　I　have　no　more
desire　or　need　to　be　a　good　shot　than　to　be　king　of　England；　or
owner　of　a　Derby　winner；　or　anything　else　equally　ridiculous；　and
yet　I　never　missed　my　aim　in　my　lifethank　blind　fortune　for
nothing！〃

〃King　of　England！〃　said　Erskine；　with　a　scornful　laugh；　to　show
Trefusis　that　other　people　were　as　liberty…loving　as　he。　〃Is　it
not　absurd　to　hear　a　nation　boasting　of　its　freedom　and
tolerating　a　king？〃

〃Oh；　hang　your　republicanism；　Chester！〃　said　Sir　Charles；　who
privately　held　a　low　opinion　of　the　political　side　of　the　Patriot
Martyrs。

〃I　won't　he　put　down　on　that　point；〃　said　Erskine。　〃I　admire　a
man　that　kills　a　king。　You　will　agree　with　me　there；　Trefusis；
won't　you？〃

〃Certainly　not；〃　said　Trefusis。　〃A　king　nowadays　is　only　a　dummy
put　up　to　draw　your　fire　off　the　real　oppressors　of　society；　and
the　fraction　of　his　salary　that　he　can　spend　as　he　likes　is
usually　far　too　small　for　his　risk；　his　trouble；　and　the
condition　of　personal　slavery　to　which　he　is　reduced。　What
private　man　in　England　is　worse　off　than　the　constitutional
monarch？　We　deny　him　all　privacy；　he　may　not　marry　whom　he
chooses；　consort　with　whom　he　prefers；　dress　according　to　his
taste；　or　live　where　he　pleases。　I　don't　believe　he　may　even　eat
or　drink　what　he　likes　best；　a　taste　for　tripe　and　onions　on　his
part　would　provoke　a　remonstrance　from　the　Privy　Council。　We
dictate　everything　except　his　thoughts　and　dreams；　and　even　these
he　must　keep　to　himself　if　they　are　not　suitable；　in　our　opinion；
to　his　condition。　The　work　we　impose　on　him　has　all　the　hardship
of　mere　task　work；　it　is　unfruitful；　incessant；　monotonous；　and
has　to　be　transacted　for　the　most　part　with　nervous　bores。　We
make　his　kingdom　a　treadmill　to　him；　and　drive　him　to　and　fro　on
the　face　of　it。　Finally；　having　taken　everything　else　that　men
prize　from　him；　we　fall　upon　his　character；　and　that　of　every
person　to　whom　he　ventures　to　show　favor。　We　impose　enormous
expenses　on　him；　stint　him；　and　then　rail　at　his　parsimony。　We
use　him　as　I　use　those　statuesstick　him　up　in　the　place　of
honor　for　our　greater　convenience　in　disfiguring　and　abusing　him。
We　send　him　forth　through　our　crowded　cities；　proclaiming　that　he
is　the　source　of　all　good　and　evil　in　the　nation；　and　he；　knowing
that　many　people　believe　it；　knowing　that　it　is　a　lie；　and　that
he　is　powerless　to　shorten　the　working　day　by　one　hour；　raise
wages　one　penny；　or　annul　the　smallest　criminal　sentence；　however
unjust　it　may　seem　to　him；　knowing　that　every　miner　in　the
kingdom　can　manufacture　dynamite；　and　that　revolvers　are　sold　for
seven　and　sixpence　apiece；　knowing　that　he　is　not　bullet　proof；
and　that　every　king　in　Europe　has　been　shot　at　in　the　streets；　he
must　smile　and　bow　and　maintain　an　expression　of　gracious
enjoyment　whilst　the　mayor　and　corporation　inflict　upon　him　the
twaddling　address　he　has　heard　a　thousand　times　before。　I　do　not
ask　you　to　be　loyal；　Erskine；　but　I　expect　you；　in　common
humanity；　to　sympathize　with　the　chief　figure　in　the　pageant；　who
is　no　more　accountable　for　the　manifold　evils　and　abominations
that　exist　in　his　realm　than　the　Lord　Mayor　is　accountable　for
the　thefts　of　the　pickpockets　who　follow　his　show　on　the　ninth　of
November。〃

Sir　Charles　laughed　at　the　trouble　Trefusis　took　to　prove　his
case；　and　said　soothingly；　〃My　dear　fellow；　kings　are　used　to　it；
and　expect　it；　and　like　it。〃

〃And　probably　do　not　see　themselves　as　I　see　them；　any　more　than
common　people　do；〃　assented　Trefusis。

〃What　an　exquisite　face！〃　exclaimed　Erskine　suddenly；　catching
sight　of　a　photograph　in　a　rich　gold　and　coral　frame　on　a
miniature　easel　draped　with　ruby　velvet。　Trefusis　turned　quickly；
so　evidently　gratified　that　Sir　Charles　hastened　to　say；
〃Charming！〃　Then；　looking　at　the　portrait；　he　added；　as　if　a
little　startled；　〃It　certainly　is　an　extraordinarily　attractive
face。〃

〃Years　ago；〃　said　Trefusis；　〃when　I　saw　that　face　for　the　first
time；　I　felt　as　you　feel　now。〃

Silence　ensued；　the　two　visitors　looking　at　the　portrait；
Trefusis　looking　at　them。

〃Curious　style　of　beauty；〃　said　Sir　Charles　at　last；　not　quite　so
assuredly　as　before。

Trefusis　laughed　unpleasantly。　〃Do　you　recognize　the　artistthe
enthusiastic　amateurin　her？〃　he　said；　opening　another　drawer
and　taking　out　a　bundle　of　drawings；　which　he　handed　to　be
examined。

〃Very　clever。　Very　clever　indeed；〃　said　Sir　Charles。　〃I　should
like　to　meet　the　lady。〃

〃I　have　often　been　on　the　point　of　burning　them；〃　said　Trefusis；
〃but　there　they　are；　and　there　they　are　likely　to　remain。　The
portrait　has　been　much　admired。〃

〃Can　you　give　us　an　introduction　to　the　original；　old　fellow？〃
said　Erskine。

〃No；　happily。　She　is　dead。〃

Disagreeably　shocked；　they　looked　at　him　for　a　moment　with
aversion。　Then　Erskine；　turning　with　pity　and　disappointment　to
the　picture；　said；　〃Poor　girl！　Was　she　married？〃

〃Yes。　To　me。〃

〃Mrs。　Trefusis！〃　exclaimed　Sir　Charles。　〃Ah！　Dear　me！〃

Erskine；　with　proof　before　him　that　it　was　possible　for　a
beautiful　girl　to　accept　Trefusis；　said　nothing。

〃I　keep　her　portrait　constantly　before　me　to　correct　my　natural
amativeness。　I　fell　in　love　with　her　and　married　her。　I　have
fallen　in　love　once　or　twice　since　but　a　glance　at　my　lost　Hetty
has　cured　me　of　the　slightest　inclination　to　marry。〃

Sir　Charles　did　not　reply。　It　occurred　to　him　that　Lady　Brandon's
portrait；　if　nothing　else　were　left　of　her；　might　be　useful　in
the　same　way。

〃Come；　you　will　marry　again　one　of　these　days；〃　said　Erskine；　in
a　forced　tone　of　encouragement。

〃It　is　possible。　Men　should　marry；　especially　rich　men。　But　I
assure　you　I　have　no　present　intention　of　doing　so。〃

Erskine's　color　deepened；　and　he　moved　away　to　the　table　where
the　albums　lay。

〃This　is　the　collection　of　photographs　I　spoke　of；〃　said
Trefusis；　following　him　and　opening　one　of　the　books。　〃I　took
many　of　them　myself　under　great　difficulties　with　regard　to
lightthe　only　difficulty　that　money　could　not　always　remove。
This　is　a　view　of　my　father's　houseor　rather　one　of　his　houses。
It　cost　seventy…five　thousand　pounds。〃

〃Very　handsome　indeed；〃　said　Sir　Charles；　secretly　disgusted　at
being　invited　to　admire　a　photograph；　such　as　house　agents
exhibit；　of　a　vulgarly　designed　country　house；　merely　because　it
had　cost　seventy…five　thousand　pounds。　The　figures　were　actually
written　beneath　the　picture。

〃This　is　the　drawing…room；　and　this　one　of　the　best　bedrooms。　In
the　right…hand　corner　of　the　mount　you　will　see　a　note　of　the
cost　of　the　furniture；　fittings；　napery；　and　so　forth。　They　were
of　the　most　luxurious　description。〃

〃Very　interesting；〃　said　Sir　Charles；　hardly　disguising　the　irony
of　the　comment。

〃Here　is　a　viewthis　is　the　first　of　my　own　attemptsof　the
apartment　of　one　of　the　under　servants。　It　is　comfortable　and
spacious；　and　solidly　furnished。〃

〃So　I　perceive。〃

〃These　are　the　stables。　Are　they　not　handsome？〃

〃Palatial。　Quite　palatial。〃

〃There　is　every　luxury　that　a　horse　could　desire；　including
plenty　of　valets　to　wait　on　him。　You　are　noting　the　figures；　I
hope。　There　is　the　cost　of　the　building　and　the　expenditure　per
horse　per　annum。〃

〃I　see。〃

〃Here　is　the　exterior　of　a　house。　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

〃It　is　rather　picturesque　in　its　dilapidation。〃

〃Picturesque！　Would　you　like　to　live　in　it？〃

〃No；〃　said　Erskine。　〃I　don't　see　anything　very　picturesque　about
it。　What　induced　you　to　photograph　such　a　wretched　old　rookery？〃

〃Here　is　a　view　of　the　best　room　in　it。　Photography　gives　you　a
fair　idea　of　the　broken　flooring　and　patched　windows；　but　you
must　imagine　the　dirt　and　the　odor　of　the　place。　Some　of　the
stains　are　weather　stains；　others　came　from　smoke　and　filth。　The
landlord　of　the　house　holds　it　from　a　peer　and　lets　it　out　in
tenements。　Three　families　occupied　that　room　when　I　photographed
it。　You　will　see　by　the　figures　in　the　corner　that　it　is　more
profitable　to　the　landlord　than　an　average　house　in　Mayfair。　Here
is　the　cellar；　let　to　a　family　for　one　and　sixpence　a　week；　and
considered　a　bargain。　The　sun　never　shines　there；　of　course。　I
took　it　by　artificial　light。　You　may　add　to　the　rent　the　cost　of
enough　bad　beer　to　make　the　tenant　insensible　to　the　filth　of　the
place。　Beer　is　the　chloroform　that　enables　the　laborer　to　endure
the　severe　operation　of　living；　that　is　why　we　can　always　assure
o